Prins
Christian Sund Weather
Station
Station # |
Call Sign |
Bluie code |
Build |
Location |
? |
WYTC-551 |
BE 1 |
(1942) |
60°02'N 43°07'W |
Location spotted by Captain Elliott Roosevelt's air survey in 1942. The location merits a few descriptive words taken from USAF history: "The only possible site was in a narrow ravine about 15-20 miles from the mouth of the Prince Christian Sound at the Atlantic ocean. The Sound is 3 to 4 kilometres wide and becomes ice-jammed during some months during the Spring. The men at this station are isolated, except for radio contact, depressions occur during the periods when ice blocks ship arrivals. They live in sturdy buildings, cabled to the rocks, to withstand high winds that have been recorded at times from 90 to 175 miles per hour. During the 1942-43 season three anemometers and two (weather) instrument shelters were blown away. When a slide damaged the buildings, new materials were flown in by a B-25 medium bomber. The plane made a hazardous 'bombing run' up the ravine, dropped a tightly wired bundle of lumber to the men, and climbed steeply up the face of a mountain to get out of the trap." |
Captain Robert P. Sykes, USAAC - Commander 8th Weather Squadron Detachment. Inspection of Prins Christian Sund (21st - 22nd September 1944) - "Belle Isle" & "Polarbjørn": At 2030Z on 21 September, we arrived at Prince Christian's Sound. During the day a PBY had dropped two packages in the fjord, because of a high surface wind. Unfortunately there had been no contact between the ground station and the plane. We unloaded the aviation gas during the morning of 22 September without incident. At the time a Signal Corps instruction party under Lt. Whitney was making good progress in their D.F. [direction finder] installation. Departed Prince Christian's Sound at 1330Z, 22 September 1944.
|
Assigned | Year | Personel | Units |
US Army | 1942 - 1945 | 8 men |
8th Weather Squadron Detachment 137th Army Airways Communication System Squadron |
Denmark | 1945 - | 10 men | DWXCO |
Danish radio
operator Weber at Prins
Christian Sund (1946-48)
Letter
written on 14.4.1947 from Willy Petersen - Canc. APO 858 (20.4.1947).
Expect icebreacker on the 16th
or 17th of April.
Name |
Postmark |
Date |
Sender |
Note |
Prins Christian Sund |
APO 677 |
24.2.1947 |
Weber-Nielsen |
PR |
Prins Christian Sund | APO 858 | 20.4.1947 |
Willy Petersen
(14.4.1947) |
PR |
Postal Service
Post Office |
Postmark |
Year |
Note |
APO |
N/A | 1942-45 | US Army |
APO | N/A | 1945-48 | Danish |
Prins Christians Sund | 1949- |
Gallery
Main building Winter 1950 (ex. Lomholt) |
|
Main building Winter 1946 or 1947 (ex Arved) |
|
1946 or 1947: US Army
building team leaving Prins Christian Sund (ex Arved) |
QSL
1949
QSL card from OX3UG - Erik Faber
(Greenland Antique QSL
Cards)
1951
QSL card from OX3WX - John Lomholt
Personel
Year |
Name |
Note |
1946-48 |
Arved |
Danish |
1946-4? |
Weber-Nielsen |
Danish |
1946-47 |
Willy Petersen |
Danish |
-1949- |
Erik Faber |
Danish |
1950-51 |
John Lomholt |
Danish |
External Links:
John Lomholt page,
Arved pictures.
Back
to Greenland Units
Update: 7.10.2006
Feedback: warcovers@adslhome.dk